Alwaght- Ex-Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki says the US-led coalition has been "unbelievably" inefficient in fighting the ISIS terrorist, possibly because some members have their plans for the terrorists.
In an exclusive interview with Rusiya Al-Yaum TV, al Maliki believes that Iraq was targeted by a “regional conspiracy” and is at risk of breaking up. He also said inviting Russia to target ISIS targets in Iraq could play a positive part in the debacle.
Maliki added that, “It's unbelievable and unacceptable that more than 60 nations comprising this coalition that have the most modern aircraft and weapons at their disposal have been conducting their campaign in Iraq for 14 months and IS still remains in the country.”
Maliki cited the loss of the city of Ramadi and the major oil refining center Baiji to ISIS, both of which happened after the coalition started bombing the terrorists, as proof that not enough is being done by the coalition.
Mid-May this year, ISIS terrorists took full control of the central Iraqi city of Ramadi, the provincial capital of al-Anbar.
Despite the fact that Ain al-Asad air base hosting US fighter jets was very close to Ramadi, the American military forces took no action to stop the ISIS terrorists fighting to take over the Iraqi city.
“Some members of the coalition have their own strategies that account for ISIS either continuing to exist or being destroyed. They also consider what would happen after ISIS’s destruction. I believe they are indecisive, trying to calculate what happens. What will be the situation in Iraq, in the region, will the map look the same? Or maybe ISIS is a key instrument for changing the situation in Iraq and the region?” he asked.
Nouri al Maliki, who stepped down as the head of the Iraqi government last year and remains a vice-president, says Russia helped Iraq in the aftermath of the fall of Mosul to ISIS by providing weapons and may help more by expanding to Iraq its bombing campaign in Syria. He said the Russian effort had proven to be efficient. AL Maliki regretted that the Iraq government is dragging its feet on inviting Russia to fighting ISIS terrorists, partially due to pressure from the US.
